Thread: Fan veils questions

Do they come in different materials? I"m sure they do, and I want to make certain I'm getting something really floaty for that flames going up in the air look. I've seen some that stay up really easily with a constant little flutter of your hands, and I want to make sure I don't get something too heavy for that.

Do you recommend any certain stores/vendors? I posted in the ISO forum but I'll look at stores too.

Darbla unless otherwise requested I make the silk for fan veils out of super light 5 mm for the fluttery look..

not sure what other fabrics are being experimented with but I love the light flutter of silk

I've never seen any in any material other than lightweight silk, myself.

You might want to try Faye:
Boutique

i see from your other post that you are looking for flame colors. I have a pair of the "Lava" combination that she shows on her home page -- that should work out very well for what you're looking for.

I"m interested in how much both of you are selling your fans for. Please email me at darbla 2 at yahoo dot com.

I may give the other two girls one fan each and I use two, so it may not be so critical that I get all of them from one place. A little variation would work in that case, but if we were all using pairs I'd prefer the pairs come from one place for a uniform look across all 3 of us.

I had a bunch of them at one point (no more now) and they were all lightweight silk. I've felt heavier silk ones too, and they were ok too it just took a tiny bit more work. I'd ask Mirabai. I know she has a great teaching video on fan veils, so she might have good input.

I just found some on Dahlal for $60 per pair. If any of you have bought them from Dahlal, please let me know how they worked for you!

https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=1&c=7&s1=4&s2=4

If that link doesn't go directly to them, they are under Accessories / Props on page 2.

Considering making a large order of fan veils. They are nice, but certainly not FairyCove or Akai cool or anything. But they are 35/pair.

If enough people are interested, I'll place an order....

As far as I know, they're always made with lightweight silk. I also highly recommend you get right- and left-handed fans, much easier to work with. Usually you will get a pair of right handed fans, which can be difficult to work with and keep open in your left hand.

I like Debbie's Craftroom:

Debbie's Craftroom: The Veil Fans

She can custom dye and gives you a choice of bamboo or plastic staves, I prefer bamboo.

This is the custom fan set she made for me:

Originally Posted by mathkitty

As far as I know, they're always made with lightweight silk. I also highly recommend you get right- and left-handed fans, much easier to work with. Usually you will get a pair of right handed fans, which can be difficult to work with and keep open in your left hand.

I like Debbie's Craftroom:

Debbie's Craftroom: The Veil Fans

She can custom dye and gives you a choice of bamboo or plastic staves, I prefer bamboo.

This is the custom fan set she made for me:

how wide is the silk on there?

well again if you go to ebay and use belly dance silk veil there are a lot of cheap options for fan veils on there..it's why I don't make them on a regular basis, I can't compete with those prices unless I just sell the silk

I have in the past made special orders using akai colors and charged accordingly but if you are not looking for a specific color design , ebay is full of sellers..I have purchased some over the last few years to look at in person and most of them arrived unhemmed but that's easily fixable

You can purchase fan staves separately so that you can choose if you prefer bamboo or acrylic..I always liked the acrylic ones that Meleea sold, I liked the fabric in them they seemed to reinforce the strength of the staves and make the silk veil part flutter more

here's an album of the ones I made

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...6338.835165313

and again I can attest to the strength of the acrylic staves..beaches are WINDY in Hawaii, these stayed open without any effort and didn't snap even in a strong wind with me playing around with them

if anyone is interested I will run over to international marketplace later, they sell a wide variety of different kinds of fans there..plastic, acrylic, ones with lace, ones with sequins and glitter, ones with prints on them..and we have these super big fans just for fun I'd love to attach a full three yard veil to one it's a BIG fan :)

I will see if the vendors will allow me to take pictures and offer them for sale ..shipping shouldn't be that expensive

I don't care for bamboo staves I felt they were too weak plus I couldn't help but think they looked like a kindergarten project :(

I do not like to see the staves...I thought they are covered on both sides?
The ones pictured above shows them outside...
Also, I don't like to see them through the silk- fussy of me, LOL!

I don't like to see the staves either that's why I like the acrylic ones that already have a fan made of some type of fabric in them

Originally Posted by jesennia

how wide is the silk on there?

I'll measure for you tonight when I'm home.

Be aware when purchasing fans the ones with sequins or glitter glued on the fabric usually pops off. The result is either a hole in the fabric or a sizable smear of glue. Also the friction of opening and closing the fan can cause fabric to shred. I agree re seeing the fan blades, IMO that is a deal breaker. Bamboo staves and silk seem more 'natural', that plus plastic and acrylic staves are more often fragile in regard to heat, cold and also dropping them. If you purchase right-handed fans it is usually not difficult to switch one to left-handed.

Originally Posted by showtime

If you purchase right-handed fans it is usually not difficult to switch one to left-handed.

Does right/left make a difference if the fabric is the same on both sides? And fully covers the fans?

I do not like seeing the blades either. It doesn't looked finished. Or looks like a kid just glued some fabric on.

Originally Posted by salsabelly

Considering making a large order of fan veils. They are nice, but certainly not FairyCove or Akai cool or anything. But they are 35/pair.

If enough people are interested, I'll place an order....

Let me know how much. I need to get these ordered over the next month or so, so no big hurry.

I found this ebay seller who has a bunch of different postings. All have price + shipping to add up to $25 each time. These look identical to the ones I saw on Dahlal:
HAND MADE PAIRS 1.5M BELLY DANCE NEW 100% SILK FAN VEIL | eBay

Her listing specifies that they are left and right.

Oh I have a question too (another one) if silk is covering both sides of the staves does it make it more difficult to open and close them?

Yes..good point about sequins popping off!

I like how Debbie dyed the fan, that's really neat

http://www.debbiescraftroom.com/images/IMG_3647a.JPG

Best fans I've come across so far, that are made regularly, are Meag's of Fairy Cove Silks. I suspect yours, Jes, are amazing, too, but I haven't had any experience with them yet.

Meag has done some experimenting with different fabrics. And I've experimented with different fabrics. The lightweight silk is the best for what you are describing needing.

I've just recently started using Meag's large stave fans. I am SO hooked. The weight is great for control, and the size just makes a spectacular show. She covers both sides, and will do a custom handle (either in the same color scheme for consistency, or in a different contrasting color so it pops). I don't think I can every go back to the standard lightweight staves that are out there! I'm so in love with these large fans!

(nvm)

Originally Posted by Mirabai

Best fans I've come across so far, that are made regularly, are Meag's of Fairy Cove Silks. I suspect yours, Jes, are amazing, too, but I haven't had any experience with them yet.

Meag has done some experimenting with different fabrics. And I've experimented with different fabrics. The lightweight silk is the best for what you are describing needing.

I've just recently started using Meag's large stave fans. I am SO hooked.

Agreed - I absolutely love the colors and movement on my Fairy Cove fan veils. I have fan veils from Originale by Faye, Fairy Cove, Stellar Advantage, Bellydance Fans, and a few random ones bought from other dancers and vendors. Each of them have their benefits and drawbacks, but they all work well overall. Keyed R/L fans are a personal preference thing - I have sets that are R/L and sets that are R/R and it doesn't bother me at all, but some people have solid preferences on that as well.

Lightweight silk definitely has the most loft time and movement, but heavier fabrics can work depending on your style. Much like with veil, a slow, floaty piece of music works best with a slow, floaty piece of silk and a fast, intricate veil number will usually be easier with chiffon or something with weighted edges. For the fan veils, the heavier fabrics make it difficult to flutter, but make fast direction changes and a snap sound for those that like it. [My personal preference is the lightweight silk.]

The most important things I have found in working with fans is to determine what you like best on a few different variables and then go from there:

1. Fan size: This is the actual size of the fan staves when opened
2. Fan opening: Usually Right and Left Keyed or Right only
3. Fan staves material: Usually bamboo, acrylic, or other plastic
4. Fan staves visibility: Visible or covered (for me at least this hasn't made any difference in fan use, so it is pure cosmetic)
5. Fan veil length: Anything from a light fabric fringe to 3 yards
6. Fan veil shape: Usually rectangular, but i also have some semi-circles
7. Fan veil material: Usually silk or silk-like fabric
8. Fan veil decoration: Some have sequins or rhinestones, but I don't generally use them b/c the decor falls off and leaves damage in many cases
9. Fan veil colors: no effect on usage that I can see, so any color you like!

Again all your feedback as dancers and professionals is priceless

with A'Kai I have not done a whole lot with fan veils..I've made a few pair and exhausted myself by filling a $3000 order to an overseas reseller. It's great to have options but at some point the options become overwhelming..what do I choose? bamboo? 2 yards? light silk ?

When I shop for stuff I guess it's nice to have options available but I get so overwhelmed from the choices that I talk myself out of all of them :) In Hawaii we don't have much available it's easy to choose

Originally Posted by jesennia

how wide is the silk on there?

It's about 34" wide.

Originally Posted by Darbla

I just found some on Dahlal for $60 per pair. If any of you have bought them from Dahlal, please let me know how they worked for you!

https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=1&c=7&s1=4&s2=4

If that link doesn't go directly to them, they are under Accessories / Props on page 2.

A friend of mine bought a pair from Dahlal and was not very happy with them. The silk was heavy and took a lot of effort to flutter, the sequins popped off and the staves had splinters. You're better off spending twice as much from a custom vendor--you get a product that is far more than twice as nice and will last much longer.

I had a pair once that I think come from the same supplier that Dahlal uses. The one fan was difficult to open (my teacher had issues opening it, so it wasn't just me) and almost all the sequins fell off after one 2-hour session. I didn't keep them long enough to experience splintering.

My Fairy Cove fans have much more stability. The bamboo splintered a bit, but I put fine coat of clear nail polish that has stopped it. For me, it turned out the petite staves were a much better fit than the large ones.

I went with the cheapie ebay set to give me some practice and see if it's something I'm going to enjoy using regularly. If I really like them then I'll invest in some better ones. I'm making good progress with them, and if these survive my hurricane force practice sessions, then they can't be too terribly bad.

These are unhemmed on the ends. Would running a serger over that edge then make them too heavy on the end of the silk like that? It seems like a serger could add enough thread there to noticeably make a difference in weight and how airborne they can get.

As an American costumer, I am fascinated by the fact that this thread, which consists of several questions and many thoughtful answers, ended with the original poster buying el-cheapos from ebay.

The OP is not unique in this. Turning to eBay for the cheapest version, regardless of quality or country of origin, is endemic. As is the hope that local experts, who did NOT benefit from her costume dollars, will provide her with advice on how to fix or improve the cheap items.

I am NOT trying to be harsh. However, I feel it would be more appropriate to contact the vendor of the fans and ask them how to hem the fan in a way that the action stays the same. They have your money, make them support you.

Don't 'take it personally' but think on these things. thanks.

I think floatability is completely subjective.

I did the same thing Darbla..i purchased a cheapie pair on ebay to see if i'd even like working with them..they never became too enticing so i never bought a more expensive pair..the cheapie pair that i bought was a pair of acrylic fan staves with material in them..for all i know it could have been parachute material but they were affordable and i found them pretty easy to use. i dyed my own silk and glued them on ..not a perfect job i can see glue marks and shifts in the weave in places where the staves open and close frequently. Glad I bought a cheap pair and didnt pay big bucks for silk.

did the same thing with zills, as a beginner dance student i bought the cheapos from mid.east manuf. then heard my teacher's zills during a performance and wanted some..in this case starting with the cheap zills encouraged me to buy better ones because i knew i wanted to continue with zills. it was more fun to have an 'instrument' that had a good sound i liked (real deep)

Originally Posted by Darbla

I went with the cheapie ebay set to give me some practice and see if it's something I'm going to enjoy using regularly. If I really like them then I'll invest in some better ones. I'm making good progress with them, and if these survive my hurricane force practice sessions, then they can't be too terribly bad.

These are unhemmed on the ends. Would running a serger over that edge then make them too heavy on the end of the silk like that? It seems like a serger could add enough thread there to noticeably make a difference in weight and how airborne they can get.